Anything, He Meant
by Desertfyre
Summary: Tag to the movie version TLTWATW. Spin-off sequel to; To Look Beyond the obvious. When Edmund said he'd do anything to defeat the White Witch and protect his siblings he meant just that.


Disclaimer: C.S Lewis owns the Narnia series and with it The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Disney, Walden and now 20th century fox has more of a hand on ownership then I do.

A.N: After my first Narnia fanfic, To Look Beyond the Obvious, the ending sparked this fanfic which tied into when Edmund got stabbed by the White Witch later in the movie. Though you don't necessarily need to read the first fanfic thought it might help to know where I'm coming from here. This fanfic adds more about after Edmund was revived as well since the movie never showed that.

Some major Edmund angst and Peter and Edmund sibling bonding follows as well.

Summary: Tag to the movie version TLTWATW. Spin-off sequel to; To Look Beyond the obvious. When Edmund said he'd do anything to defeat the White Witch and protect his siblings he meant just that.

* * *

The battle raged on around him, making it hard to catch his breath. He was too busy fighting without so much as a pause to take a breather. There were too many, he could tell without close survey that they were losing this fight.

So unless something gave out soon, in a good way off course, they were going to lose this battle.

And the White Witch would win.

Edmund Pevensie frowned lightly to himself as he struck down another Fell creature. Then he heard his older brother's voice yelling at him,"Ed! There are too many of them!" Peter yelled as he struck down another creature," Go! Get out of here!" Another strike, "Get the girls, and get them home!"

Edmund found he was immobile for a moment staring at his brother, in what was shock. Almost unconsciously, whirled around to strike down another beast then turned to find his hand being tugged. "Come on, you heard him!" Mr. Beaver cried pulling him away from the battle, away from this family.

It took a moment for all this to register in Edmund's brain even as his body consciously obeyed and began to run, dodging the battles taking place around him to crawl up the slope. Then everything caught up and Edmund stopped surveying the battle from his high position. He noticed the White Witch fighting her way to Peter. He saw the wand. He knew that was the source of her power.

He couldn't just leave Peter to fight all this alone, could he? He had done enough running in his life. His running is partly what got him, them, in the mess again. Besides what would his sisters say if he returned to them without Peter? How could he even face them knowing that he left their older brother behind? Peter seemed quite confident that Edmund would do what he said. Normally he would, nowadays, but in this situation something pulled at him not to just flee.

He made a promise, a silent vow to Aslan himself, that he would do anything to help defeat the White Witch and protect his siblings.

And he meant just that.

So Edmund gave little pause as he ran back down the hill, his eyes on the White Witch and especially that wand in her hand. If he could destroy the wand, it would give Peter a fighting chance.

He heard Mr. Beaver's voice yell at him almost panicking, "Peter said to go!" he cried urgently.

"Peter's not King yet!" Edmund retorted without pause in his goal. He would not let this Witch get to Peter. He wouldn't! He hadn't forgiven himself for practically leading this Witch to his siblings in the first place. He would not make the same mistake again. He wouldn't!

Aslan, give him strength! He would end this now at any cost.

He jumped off the cliff, noting that he took the White Witch by surprise.

Good, he thought.

He twisted and turned, bringing his sword down with him as he was taught. The Witch blocked his first shot but quickly he swung bringing it down upon the wand. There was a pulse of power, blue light surrounding them, and then nothing as it shattered. Edmund couldn't help the smirk at this. In any other situation, Edmund would have found the White Witch's face of absolute surprise rather amusing. He hadn't seen such an expression her face before but he reveled in it. Then as quick as it came the White Witch face morphed into that of pure anger and did something that Edmund did not expect and could not have stopped fast enough. She took the remaining broken wand and stabbed him in the stomach with it. Edmund's eyes widened, in a look of surprise and terror. He saw her smirk at him, watching as he fell down.

He heard his brother's frantic call of his name as he fell. A soft smile played on his face. At least his brother and sisters would okay. That was all that mattered. As long as they were okay, as long as the Witch didn't get to them it would be okay.

Aslan protect them.

He knew that without the wand the Witch was weakened significantly and that was good enough for him.

If his death was part of his penance he would accept that. He didn't want to die. Lion's mane, he sure didn't want to die but if he helped take the White Witch down with him, he knew his death would have some meaning.

Maybe more than his life did.

He shivered and groaned his body growing stiff. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. And why was it getting cold?

Cold….

Edmund didn't know how long he had been laying there.

Seconds, minutes, hours, days...he had no way of knowing.

But somewhere in the distance he became aware of what sounded like his name and a _thwap_ sound, followed by a dull thud, but he couldn't move enough to know what it was. He coughed and gasped again as he felt hands pulling off his helmet. Then he felt something drop into his mouth. Unconsciously, he smacked his lips together tasting it. Strawberries? He had strawberries in his mouth? Then his body settled and he stopped moving.

_Arise, young one, your time is not yet over. You have so much more to do. _

_Aslan? _

_Arise young one, you have done more than your share. _

Edmund groaned and opened his eyes. He saw his sibling's teary faces surrounding him as he sat up. Then it was Peter who was right in his face. He was surprised to see such emotion on his older brother's face. He was gripping his forearms tight as if he would never let go.

"When are you going to learn to do what you're told?" he asked laughing breathily in somewhat of a sob.

'When it doesn't involve ya'll wellbeing', was Edmund's thought as he was pulled into a hug followed by a group hug. He hated hugs usually, but he found himself more accepting of them lately.

When they pulled back, he saw Lucy get this gleam in her eyes and quickly bounded to her feet before running towards some injured warriors. Aslan smiled at them as he breathed on a stone warrior, turning him back to flesh and blood. Susan patted Edmund on the back before rushing after Lucy to aid her.

"What's going on?" Edmund asked as Peter helped him stand, wrapping an arm around his waist to hold him up.

"What do you think? The battle is over, Aslan and Lucy are helping the injured."

"The White Witch?"

"Is dead."

Edmund breathed a sigh of relief and suspiciously felt something pricking at the back of his eyes.

"Hey, Ed, you okay?" Peter asked concern in his eyes as he looked down at his younger brother.

"Yeah, yeah, just tired."

Peter wordlessly started leading them off the battlefield. "You broke her wand", he finally murmured.

Edmund nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was aiming for."

"Was it your aim to get yourself killed as well?" Peter couldn't help but ask his voice tight.

Edmund shrugged and didn't say anything making Peter stop and pull him away to get a better look at his face. Edmund avoided his eyes. Peter's heart pounded as he licked his lips. "Edmund….." his voice held warning, "You didn't answer my question….."

"What is there to answer?" Edmund asked, "What do you want me to say?"

"I dunno…..something."

"Something." Edmund smartly replied, "There I said something, now let's go." He went to turn but found that Peter's hands on his shoulder's tightened preventing it.

"Peter", he whined, "I'd like to lay down in a halfway descent setting, can we please stow this away for later." Then he muttered under his breath full well knowing Peter heard, "Though I prefer never."

Peter looked at him, eyes wide and wet. "Fine", he finally said, wrapping his arm back around Edmund's waist to help him walk, "But there will be a later."

"I'm sure there will", Edmund muttered under his breath to himself.

* * *

Edmund gave a soft contented sigh as he rolled over. Groaning, his eyes slowly began to open. "Hmm", he murmured.

He heard a soft chuckle, "Finally awake?"

Edmund blinked and worked his way to sitting up, rubbing his eyes. When he was able to focus he found Peter sitting on the other hammock, smiling at him. He looked around.

"We are back at camp. It'll be a few days before we all move out to go to Cair Paravel. Everyone is in need of their rest, especially those that were able to be saved and revived." Peter explained.

"Where are Lucy and Susan?" Edmund nodded after a moment.

"Lunch and then they went with Aslan somewhere. I opt to stay here, waiting for your sorry, lazy behind to wake up." Peter gave a grin.

Edmund snorted, "Oh excuse me. I did a lot of work with destroying the wand and near dying. I think I get a lazy day." He knew it was the wrong thing to joke about the moment it left his mouth. Peter was looking at him with that wet eyes look again, his head cocked slightly to the side. Edmund bit his lip and looked guilty. "Sorry, not the right time to joke about it, huh?" he gave a nervous chuckle.

"There will never be a right time, Ed!" Peter cried and all but lept off his hammock.

Edmund gave a short tense laugh, "Pete, I don't know why you are getting all twisted up about this."

Peter stared shocked at his little brother, who looked at him like he just didn't get it. The first time in a long while, Peter wanted so badly to literally knock some sense into Edmund's head. Finally, he sunk back down into his hammock shaking his head in disbelief even as the tears welled up and began pouring over his cheeks.

"Hey, hey, hey", Edmund cried, "Come on, what's wrong, now? Why are you crying? Cut it out! You are scaring me, Pete!"

Pete managed to glare through his tears. "Oh, I'm scaring you huh?" His voice choked as his voice got higher, "What do you think about us? You don't think you scared us, scared me? I saw that Witch stab you, I saw you fall! And you have the audacity to say, I'm scaring you right now."

"But, I'm fine." Edmund murmured, "At least the White Witch is dead and that's what's important."

Peter made a disbelieving choking noise, "You act like…that's all that is important."

"We needed to defeat the White Witch, no matter what! She had to go. I've seen firsthand what a danger to this land she is. I wasn't going to let her get away with it, if I could help it. I wasn't going to let her hurt you and our sisters if I had any say. Now, let's go get something to eat." Edmund stood up and made a turn to go out.

Peter reached out and grabbed Edmund's arm pulling him to his hammock to sit down before he was able to even take 3 solid steps. Peter looked at Edmund astonished even as the tears flowed faster. "Tell me, you don't mean it! Tell me, you don't mean that! That you aren't implying what I think you are implying?"

Edmund looked confused, "Implying what?"

"Are you trying to dismiss your almost death, as if it…it…it" Peter couldn't even bring himself to utter the words in fear of it being the truth, but he did. Aslan help him, he did, "As if it…it doesn't matter. That it wouldn't have meant anything if you….if you had….died?" His voice ended on a disgraceful note of noise.

"…."

Peter panicked and placed his hands on Edmund's shoulders. "ED!" he screamed shaking his brother once.

"What!" Edmund cried out with a small growl.

"What do you think you are? Some kind of martyr?" Peter tried hard to look into Edmund's face but the younger male avoided him.

Edmund snorted, rolled his eyes and looked away from Peter. "Don't be stupid. I just made a promise, a vow and I upheld it."

Peter's eyes narrowed as he gave Edmund his full attention. "What kind of promise and vow, Ed?"

"Between me and Aslan, brother."

"Well, you better make it between you, me and Aslan, brother!" Peter mocked Edmund.

"Look can we get something to eat?", Edmund asked trying to get out of this conversation. He tried to stand up to move away.

But Peter wasn't having any of that, as he held fast onto Edmund, "You aren't going to starve, Ed. And we aren't going anywhere until we get this situated."

"There is nothing to situate!" Edmund cried, utterly frustrated.

"Does this have to do with what you did? I know it has something to do with that."

Edmund opt to shut down and be silent, stubbornly glaring in front of him as he crossed his arms, refusing to look at Peter even as said young man shook him again.

"Edmund!"

Said male said nothing.

Peter growled, until it died down to another choked sob and he pulled Edmund into a hug. Edmund didn't respond to it. "Please, Edmund! Come on! Please. We lost you once, don't let us again. I lost you once, and I almost lost you again. Come on! Please! " Peter begged, "Just tell me! I'd do better to at least know! Please. Don't keep us at bay, me at bay. I'm your brother, at least let me in. Let us in."

Edmund faltered at this. Wasn't the point of all this to protect his siblings, Peter included? If this was hurting Peter, wasn't he technically not upholding his vow? It was then that Edmund acknowledged Peter and glanced at him, guilt on his face.

"Please…" Peter begged new tears spilling over his face, "Please, for once let's talk. For real. Not at each other but to each other."

Edmund swallowed slowly and looked away his eyes lowering, "What do you want me to say?"

"Do you think it wouldn't have mattered?" Peter repeated the question.

"…."

Peter sucked in a breath, "You do don't you? You don't think it would have mattered."

"Peter…" Edmund groaned then stopped.

"What? Come on, what?"

"Look…defeating the White Witch was all that mattered."

"It's not all that mattered, Edmund. We need you. Lucy and Susan need you. How do you think they would feel knowing you don't think you matter?"

"But I've been so horrible. I mean…..maybe….maybe it was part of my penance."

"For what? We forgave you! We been forgive you and you know that!"

"But I haven't forgiven myself!" Edmund snapped.

Peter was silent as Edmund continued, "I just want to make it right knowing I never will. I promised myself, even silently promised Aslan that I would do anything to defeat the White Witch and make sure you guys are safe and sound. Anything. I didn't matter to me what it was. Now, granted I didn't think about dying, but if that's what it took, then fine, I deserve that. I would accept that."

"And what…." Peter gave a breathless laugh, "….were we suppose to do? Just accept it, as well!"

"What's there to accept?"

Peter almost knocked Edmund to the floor.

Almost.

Instead he leaned his head against Edmund's. "You are taking entirely too much on yourself."

"And before I didn't take enough."

"You've gotta find a balance. You can't beat yourself up about this. You can't just…." Peter trailed off.

"I know I should have to work after what I did."

"Work on what?"

There was silence.

Peter moved his head against Edmund, "Work on what, Ed?"

At first Edmund didn't say anything but glance at Peter briefly. Peter shook him once, silently begging him to answer him.

"Why did you forgive me so easily? You shouldn't have! I should have to prove myself, work for your forgiveness." Once Edmund opened his mouth it kept tumbling out; all the feelings that he had kept to himself, "You shouldn't have just handed it to me on a silver platter like you seemed to have done. I should have to work for it, work for Narnia…..and yet it seems everyone has just forgiven me and moved on without me working and suffering for it. After what I did I deserved to suffer!" Edmund was breathing hard after that, tremors racking his body. But even as it did, he felt somewhat of a relief to have gotten it out.

"Edmund!" Peter had no idea that Edmund felt this strongly about the subject. He should have noticed! Aslan help him, he needed to fix this. He needed the right words. He prayed to Aslan for the right words as he opened his mouth and treaded cautiously, "Whatever happened to forgiveness can be offered freely? It is offered freely and we offered it. It would have done no good for us to withhold it from you. Not only would we be hurting you but also ourselves. We all need to let this go if we plan to get anywhere, if we plan to be all we can. We can't have past baggage weighing us down. Making you suffer, even you making you suffer hinders the entire process and we can't do that. It's not right on many levels."

A small smile danced on Edmund's face as he glanced at his older brother, "I never knew you to get so wise, Pete."

Peter smiled once and continued softly, "But it's the truth, Ed. We forgive you, Aslan forgive you, now you need to forgive yourself. You are worth something. You are worth a lot to me, to our sisters, to Narnia. You don't get to just throw away your life on some whim because you feel you need to redeem yourself. You redeem yourself by living, by making it right. By every day, making it better than the one before and by learning from your past mistakes which you've clearly shown you are doing." The was a pause before Peter added jokingly, "Maybe a little too much."

It got a small laugh out of Edmund. He smiled then and slowly nodded as he sobered, "Yeah, for once you may have a point."

"I always have a point."

The mood quickly turned somber as Peter reached one hand up and wiped his face and sniffed. "So you gonna let this go? No more being a martyr? No more feeling as if the weight of the world is upon you when it clearly isn't? No more beating yourself up about this?" he asked still worried about his younger brother's well being.

Edmund looked shyly at his brother, "Well, it might be hard to just drop everything but yeah, I'll try. I'll try not to kill myself in beating myself up." He gave a crooked smile.

Peter did not return it. "Edmund, seriously? How is it you can joke about it?"

"It's better than the alternative." Edmund answered softly.

Peter studied Edmund for a bit making him squirm. "What?" Edmund asked quietly a bit of nervous in his voice.

"I'm serious, Edmund. I don't want to be worrying about and have to watch and make sure you don't do anything stupid on our account." Peter answered.

Edmund blinked then spoke softly. "Peter, I will try, okay? Seriously. I hear you. I will learn to treat myself better, okay? I promise."

Peter stared at Edmund almost unblinking and Edmund didn't turn away allowing him to see the truth that lingered in his eyes. Finally, Peter gave a soft sigh of relief and hugged Edmund. "Thank you."

Edmund hugged his back that time with a soft smile, "No, thank you."

Peter's smile turned into a grin as he near crushed his little brother to him.

"But I swear, you tell Lu or Su what I said, I will kill you", Edmund mocked threatened.

Peter threw his head back and laughed. "I think that can be arranged, no problem. The less that Susan and Lucy have to worry about the better."

"Exactly and like I need Lucy especially on my cause", Edmund muttered.

"Though that might be reason for me to tell them", Peter mused.

"Why you little…." Edmund pushed Peter away making him flop to the floor in a heap of laughter. Edmund followed mock fighting Peter laughing himself.

They were both unaware of the shadow of a lion passing behind their tent as the brothers continued their mock playing. It stopped a moment, clearly looking at the tent and hearing the laughter. A smile played on Aslan's face as he walked away leaving the laughter behind. He knew that everything would be okay. Edmund had reached the final stage of his redemption. He had grown so much in this world and he was clearly ready to be one of the kings of Narnia.

A Just King for a long time to come.

**Fin. **

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A.N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! I hope everyone was in some kind of in character-ness.


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